1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electric mixers and, in particular, electric mixers wherein the motor, gear set and beater eject mechanism are axially above the beater engaging devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A portable, hand-held electric mixer is a popular kitchen appliance present in virtually all households. Most such mixers incorporate an electric motor driving a worm gear arrangement for rotating the cooperating beaters. The worm gear arrangement is inefficient, requiring greater power than would be necessary to drive the beaters through a spur gear set. In order to incorporate a spur gear set into a hand held mixer, it is necessary to locate the gear set and motor axially above the rotating beaters. This presents a problem in incorporating a beater eject mechanism which has a convenient actuation button.
In known portable mixers using the worm gear arrangement, it is common practice to include a button located at the top of the mixer for conveniently ejecting the beaters from the mixer. Examples of such arrangements may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,515,755, 2,737,371, 3,619,754 and 3,533,755.
Where a spur gear arrangement is desired, such as in a battery-powered portable mixer, alternative means for ejecting the beaters have been used. As an example see U.S. Pat. No. 3,33,825 to Wolter et al. which is directed to a battery powered mixer having a spur gear arrangement wherein a structural component of the housing is pivotally disposed for ejecting the beaters. The mixer of Wolter et al. has disadvantages presented by the lack of integrity of the housing and the relative inconvenience of the means of ejecting the beaters. The subject invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices by providing a portable electric mixer incorporating a spur gear drive mechanism and a beater eject mechanism wherein the actuation button is disposed on the top of the mixer at a convenient location.
Additional advantages of the invention are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned from practice of the invention.